Braiding machine



Sept. 11, 1951 T. T. BUNCH 2,5 7,694

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTORNEV Sept. 11, 1951 T, BUNCH 2,567,694

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 7 L Q I 54/98 I ll) ATTORNEY Sept. 11, 1951 T. T. BUNCH BRAIDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 25, 1948 FIG. 3

FIG. 5

A TO/QNEV Sap-t. 11, 1951 T. T. BUNCH 2,567,694

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 11, 1951 T. T. BUNCH 2,567,694

BRAIDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 25, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 11, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

2,567,694 BRAIDING MAoHINE Tillman '15; luncl -,T(gwsoii, Md assignor to West'- ern Electric Goiripany, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., aeorporation of New York Application February 25, 1948, Serial No. 10,660

This invention relates to. braiding machines, and. more particularly to braiding machines. for applyin sheaths to electrical conductors.

An objec of. the. invention is to. provide n w and improved braiding machines.

iurther object of the invention is to provide bra ding chin s havin a min mum number f p rt a eed to cooperate accurately and effieie tly in braidin strands f a r al at a hi h speed and with a minimum amount of vibration n 6.

A braiding machine illustrating certain features of the invention may include a group of cops, means for rotating the cops around a mode: termined center in, a predetermined direction, a second group of cops, means for rotating the sec: ond group of cops around the. braiding center in a direction opposite to that of the firstgroup of cops, and means for directing strands, from the first group of cops alternately over and under the strands of the second group of cops. Each of the second group of cops. is supported by a combined escapeinent support and drive including a. pair of split rings, means for rotating the split rings in ppo t dir c i ns, mut lated bearin supported by the split rings and serving to, engage only portions'of the split rings, means for moving a strand into the split rings, whereby the. strand is moved past the split rings, and means for supporting one of the second group of cops from the bearings.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description of a braiding machine illustrating certain features thereof, when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, top plan View of a braiding machine illustrating one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical section taken along line 2.2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, horizontal section taken along line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, vertical section taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, horizontal section similar to Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, vertical section taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged, horizontal section similar to Fi 3.;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged, horizontal section taken along line 818 of Fig. 7;

e 9 is. an n r ed. horizontal. section similar to Fig. 3;.

Fi .1() is. an enlar ed, horizontal section. aken along line lll.l il of Fig. 9, and

i 11 is an. nlarged, vert cal sect qn simila to, Fi 2 of a braiding ma h ne ll-u. rat n a ternative embodiment o he. nven ion:

Reierri ow in etail to he drawin s here is shown. the e n a p r i of con arri 21}. 1 a d 2-2. of. a r n of c n arr rs bein ota ed. n a. o ntercl ck se di e t n. as v ewed n. F a-- 1. arou a e n ed core 25. to c rr strands. 26. .6 fr m cops. 2 -2 around he c e .21 that direction. Cop holders 30, 3|; and 32 ct a on nd owe r ns o n ca rie a r l ed around the r 51 a c ockwise di cti n. and. rands 3 om ens 38 ca ed b he cop holders of i roup a e. interw e wi h. the. strands 26.25f to form a braided covering 39 (Fig. 2) upon the core 25. The cop holders 3Q, nd .2 a e r gi ly onn c d to a s ind e- 40, which carries a ring gear 42 therewith.

A spindle 44 revolved around the. core Zti in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. l, is provided with an apron 46 (Fig. 2) integral theres. with. The cop carriers of the group including the carriers 20, 2! and 2 2 are each supported on the apron 46 by identical escape nent supports and, drives. Since the escapement drives, are identical, only an escapement support, and drive 1 o the cop carrier 2| l be escr bed detail.-

Stub shafts 48 and 50 are mounted rotatably in a an t us arin and. .4, r spe iv carried by t e a ron 46. lh enneehi e gears 56 and 58 are fastened rigidly to the shafts 48 and 50, respectively, and the gear 58, meshes with an idler gear 59 which meshes with the ring gear 42 so that the shafts 4.8, and 5,0. are rotated n ppos te directions as they and th i ler g ar are carried around the core 25 in one direction and the ring gear 42 is revolved therearound in a direction p si e th to. Hel a nests 0 and 62 pr je t f m. he shaft 4 and .51 respectively, from portions thereof near the. peripheries thereof and support split. rings 64 and 66, respectively, which are provided with gaps, 68 and 10 (Fig. 3).

The strands 3636 pass through guides l4l4 (Fig. 1) from the cops 3873;; and pass iroin the guides l4.l4 to the core 25, and over stationary deflectors, illustrated by a deflector '55, w deflect the strands 636 upwardly over alternate es of the on ho d 20. Z! and 2%. stationary fle r illus rat y a def e tor 11.8.. deflect. the. nd h -3. al a ly d wnward y u der the e hqld i 0,, and 2 so that the. strand 6: re nterbra d d wi h. the strands 26x25.

Holders l6'l9 hold the strands in their deflected positions between deflections. As one of the strands 36-36 is moved under the cop carrier ZI, cam guides 86 and 82 guide that strand laterally between the rings 64 and 66 and the tops of the shafts 43 and 56, respectively, to a position illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in which position the strand 36 bears against the cam posts 66 and 62. As the cam posts revolve continuously in opposite directions, they push the strand 36 through the gaps 66 and 16, respectively, to a position in which the portions of the strand 36 approaching the split ring 64 and leaving the split ring 66 are on top of the split rings so that the strand passes into the split rings 64 and 66.

The rings 64 and 66 are mounted rotatably in arcuate bearings 96 and 92 formed in a shoe 94 v and a support 66 so that the strand 36 is free to pass through the split ring 66 from the bottom thereof, as viewed in Fig. 4, and passes continuously through the rings as the rings are rotated. The rotation of the rings moves the gaps 6B and I6 therein through the arcuate bearings 96 and 92, respectively, and when the openings reach the ends of the arcuate bearings 66 and 92, theportions of the strand 36 which had been positioned below the rings snap upwardly through the openings 68 and 16 in the rings, whereby the strand 36 is disengaged from the rings 64 and 66 and is on the opposite side of the cop carrier 2| from that at which the strand approaches this cop carrier.

The cam 80 aids the helical post 66 in deflecting the strand 36 upwardly through the opening 66, and with the cam 82, serves to guide the strand 36 between the rings 64 and 66 and. the tops of the shafts 46 and 56. The cam 82 holds the portion of the strand 36 engaged by it down as the strand 36 is moved into the surfaces between the upper ends of the shafts 48 and 56 and the rings 64 and 66, respectively, but permits the right hand portion of the strand 36, as viewed in Fig. 4, to be moved upwardly by the cam post 62 and a cam 98 carried-on the apron 46. Thus, both the cam 66 and the cam post 66 tend to move the strand 36 initially to a position passing through the'split ring 64, and the cam 94 and the cam post 62 tend to move the strand 36 initially through the opening I6 in the split ring 66.

As the openings 68 and 16 in the rings 64 and 66 again come into registry with the strand after the openings pass through the bearings 96 and 92, the tension in the strand itself" snaps the strand quickly through the openings 68 and 16. Since the portion of the strand just entering the ring 64 and the portion of that strand just leaving the ring 66 are above the rings 64 and 66 and the portion of the strand 36 between these portions is below the rings 64 and 66, the latter portion is moved up by the tension on the strand as the rings move out of contact with that portion of the strand that the rings were holding down.

Operation The carrier 2| is carried and rotated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, around the core 25 by the apron 46, the shafts 48 and 50, the support 66 and the elements associated therewith. All the other carriers in thegroup including the carrier 2! are similarly carried and rotated by elements corresponding to the shafts 48 and 56, the support 96 and the elements associated therewith. The strands 36-36 are deflected upwardly over and downwardly under the cop carriers 26, 2i and 22, by deflectors, illustrated by the deflectors I6 and I8, respectively, and whenever any of the strands 3636 is passed under the cop carrier 2|, that strand is guided between the upper ends of the shafts 48 and 56 and the split rings 64 and 66, respectively;

The strand 36 is deflected upwardly through the opening 66 in the ring 64 by the cam 66 and the cam post 66, and simultaneously is deflected upwardly through the opening 16 in the ring 66 by the cam 98 and the cam post 62 so that the strand passes through the openings 68 and I6 simultaneously. The strand then passes through the rings 64 and 66 to the core 25 (Fig. 2) while the rings 64 and 66 are rotated in the arcuate bearings 96 and 62, respectively, until the openings'68 and I6 reach the ends of bearings 66 and 82 at which time the tension on the strand 36 and the action of the cam posts 66 and 62 move the portion of the strand 36 positioned at a level below the rings 64 and 66 upwardly through the openings 68 and I6 to free the strand from the rings 64 and 66.

The openings 68 and "I6 are rotated in opposite directions and are indexed with respect to each other in a relationship in which the openings always face in opposite directions as the openings cross a line extending through the centers of the rings 64 and 66, and the angle subtended by each of the bearings 96 and 92 is sufficient that the bearings 96 and 92 always enage a substantial portion of the solid portions of the rings 64 and 66 on both sides of the line through the centers of the rings. Hence, the support 66 and the shoe 64 are always held by the rings 64 and 66 against thrust in any direction and there is no noise or vibration from the rotation of the rings 64 and 66 in the bearings and 92, respectively.

Whenever one of the strands 36-36 is deflected under one of the cop carriers 26 and 22, the strand is passed from one side of that cop carrier by escapement means identical with the escapement means described hereinabove for supporting the cop carrier 2i and for clearing the strand therepast.

Alternative embodiment A braiding machine forming an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 11, and is identical with the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 10, inclusive, except for escapement supports and drives, of which an escapement support and drive I41 is shown. The drive I4? is identical with the drive 47 except that the drive i l? includes rigid helical guides I46 and I56 rather than the shafts 46 and 66 of the drive 41.

The operation of the drive I41 is identical with that of the drive 47 except that the helical guides I46 and I56 turn split rings I64 and I66, respectively, rapidly in opposite inrunning directions. The helical guides 548 and I56 are formed in such directions that they move a strand I36 rapidly upwardly toward the split rings when the strand is engaged by any portions of the helices. The helical guides E46 and I56 are sufficiently long that they catch the strands even if they have been deflected out of their usual paths.

The above-described escapement drives, illustrated by the escapement drives 41 and I47, are the sole supports and drives of the group of cop carriers including the carriers 26, 2| and 22 and the carriers corresponding thereto. Consequent- 1y, vibrations, shocks andnoise. inherent in the operation of other types of braiding machines,

such as those supporting cop carriers on slotted guide tracks, or the like, are eliminated. Furthermore, thedrives 41 and I4! are much less complicated in construction and operation than carrier supports and drives known hitherto.

What is claimed is:

1. In a braiding machine including a group of cops, means for revolving the cops around a pre determined center in a predetermined direction, a second group of cops, means for revolving the second group of cops around saidcenter in a direction opposite to that of the first group of cops and means for directing strands from the first group of cops alternately over and under the strands of the second group of cops, a plurality of escapement supporting and driving devices for the first group of cops, each of which comprises a pair of split rings, means connected to the rings at points on the rings off-center with respect to the rings for rotating the split rings, mutilated bearings supported by the split rings and serving to engage only portions of the split rings, means for moving a strand laterally into the split rings, said rings and said bearings serving to permit the strand to be moved laterally out of the split rings as the rings are rotated, and means supported by the bearings for supporting one of the first-mentioned cops.

2. An escapement support and drive, which comprises a pair of split rings, revolvable posts connected to the rings for rotating the split rings, means for revolving the split rings around a braiding center in a predetermined direction, a support having a pair of mutilated bearings supported by the split rings for engaging only portions of the split rings, means for guiding laterally into the split rings a strand being moved laterally in a direction opposite to the direction of revolution. of the rings, and means for tensioning the strand, whereby the strand. is pulled laterally out of the split rings.

3. An escapement support and drive for a cop carrier, which comprises a support having a pair of arcuate bearings formed therein, a pair of split rings having openings between the ends thereof mounted for rotation in the bearings, means for supporting the rings from one end of each and for rotating the rings in the bearings, and means for guiding a strand laterally through the openings in the rings, whereby the rings and the ringsupporting means carry the strand laterally from one side of the support to the other thereof.

4. An escapement support and drive for a cop carrier, which comprises a support provided with a pair of arcuate radial-and-thrust bearings, a pair of split rings mounted rotatably in the bearings, the arcuate length of each of the bearings less the arcuate length of the opening in the split ring mounted rotatably in that bearing being greater than 180, revolvable posts connected to the rings for rotating the rings in the bearings and for supporting the split rings, whereby the support is supported by the rings, means for moving a strand laterally through the openings in the rings, and means for moving the strand laterally out of the rings as the rings are rotated.

5. An escapement support and drive for a cop carrier, which comprises a support provided with a pair of discontinuous radial-and-thrust bearings positioned with the axes thereof substantially parallel for supporting a cop, the openings between the ends of each of the bearings being on the same side of the support, a pair of discontinuous. rings mounted rotatably and interlockably in the bearings, the angle subtended by each of the bearings less that subtended by one of the openings between the ends of the rings interlocked therewith being greater than a pair of posts connected rigidly .to the rings one at one end of each of the rings, said posts and the ends of the rings to which they are connected serving to form cams, means for revolving the postsaround the axes of the rings to rotate the ringsin the bearings, said post-revolving means serving to index the posts to keep the openings between the ends of the annuli 180 out of phaseandto rotate the posts and annuli in such directions that the cams formed thereby tend to push a strand laterally through the openings in the rings, and means for tensioning the strand.

6. An escapement support and drive for a cop carrier, which comprises a support provided with a pair of discontinuous radial-and-thrust bearings positioned in substantially the same plane for supporting a cop, the openings between the ends of each of the bearings being on the same side of the support, a pair of discontinuous annuli mounted rotatably and interlockably in the bearings, the angle subtended by each of the bearings less that subtended by one of the openings between the ends of one of the annuli being greater than 189, a pair of posts connected rigidly to the annuli one at one end ofeach. annulus, said posts and the ends of the annuli to which they are connected serving to form helices, means for revolving the posts around the axes of the annuli in inrunning directions torotate the annuli in the hearings in inrunning' directions, said post-revolving means serving to index the posts to keep the openings between the ends of the annuli 180 out of phase and to rotate the posts and annuli in such directions: that the helices formed thereby tend topush a strand laterally through the openings in the annuli, means for revolving the post-revolving means around a predetermined center, strandguiding means for pushing such a strand later-- ally through the openings between the ends of the annuli, and means for tensioning the strand.

7. An escapement support and drive for a cop carrier, which comprises a support having a pair of arcuate bearings formed therein, a pair of split rings having openings between the ends thereof mounted for rotation in the bearings, and a pair of helical guides one secured rigidly toone end of each of the rings for supporting the rings, means for rotating the helical guides to. rotate the rings in the bearings and for guiding. a strand laterally through the openings in the rings, whereby the rings and the helical guides carry the strands laterally from one side of the support to the other thereof.

8. An escapement support and drive for a cop carrier, which comprises a support having an arcuate bearing formed therein, a disc having a slot therein mounted for rotation in the bearing, a helical guide secured rigidly to the disc for supporting the disc, and means for rotating the helical guide so that it guides a strand laterally into the slot in the disc.

9. An escapement support and drive for a cop carrier, which comprises a support provided with a pair of arcuate radial-and-thrust bearings, a pair of split rings mounted rotatably in the bearings, the arcuate length of each of the bearings less the arcuate length of the opening in the split ring mounted rotatably in that hearing being greater than 180, a pair of helical guides for supporting the split rings and means for rotating the guides to rotate the rings in the bearings, whereby a strand moved laterally into the helical guides is moved laterally through the openings between the ends of the rings.

10. An escapement support and drive for a cop carrier, which comprises a support provided with a pair of discontinuous radial-and-thrust bearings positioned with the axes thereof substantially parallel for supporting a cop, the openings between the ends of each of the bearings being on the same side of the support, a pair of discontinuous rings mounted rotatably and interlockably in the bearings, the angle subtended by each of the bearings less that subtended by one of the openings between the ends of one of the rings being greater than 180, a pair of helical guides connected rigidly to the rings one at one end of each, means for rotating the guides around the axes of the rings to rotate the rings in the bearings, said revolving means serving to index the guides to keep the openings between the ends of the rings 180 out of phase and to rotate the guides in such directions that the guides tend to push a strand laterally through the openings in the rings, and means for tensioning the strand.

11. A cop carrying device, which comprises a spindle rotatable about a predetermined axis, means for rotating the spindle about said axis in a predetermined direction, a pair of posts spacedly mounted on the spindle for revolution about axes generally parallel to the axis of the spindle, a pair of split rings one connected generally perpendicularly to an end of each of the posts, means for revolving the posts, a cop carrier, and a pair of mutilated radial and thrust bearings mounted on the split rings and carrying the cop carrier, each of said bearings being cut away on the side thereof in advance as the spindle is rotated so that a strand may be guided into the rings.

12. A cop carrying device, which comprises a spindle rotatable about a predetermined axis,

means for rotating the spindle about said axis in a predetermined direction, a pair of posts mounted on the spindle for revolution about axes generally parallel to and spaced apart along a line generally radial to the axis of the spindle, a pair of split rings one connected perpendicularly to an end, of each of the posts, means for revolving the posts, a cop carrier, a pair of mutilated radial and thrust bearings mounted on the split rings and carrying the cop carrier in a position in which its longitudinal axis is substantially radial with respect to the spindle, each of said bearings being cut away on the side thereof in advance as the spindle is rotated, and means for guiding a strand laterally into the rings.

13. A cop carrying device, which comprises a spindle rotatable about a predetermined axis, means for rotating the spindle about said axes in a predetermined direction, a pair of cam posts mounted on the spindle for revolution about axes generally parallel to and spaced apart along a line generally radial to the axis of the spindle, a pair of split rings one connected perpendicularly to an end of each of the cam posts, means for revolving the posts, a cop carrier, and a pair of mutilated radial and thrust bearings mounted on the split rings and. carrying the cop carrier in a position in which its longitudinal axis is substantially radial with respect to the spindle, each of said bearings being cut away on the side thereof in advance as the spindle is rotated so that a strand may be guided laterally into the rings by the cam posts.

TILLMAN T. BUNCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Klein May 13, 1924 

